水泡者,毒盛之时,火不能炎上,水不能润下,搏激于皮肤之间而成者也。宜理脾顺气。然
而起于腿足之处,毒亦由此而化,痘收泡亦敛。带红紫色,乃热极也。失血者,毒火逼血妄行也
。鼻出易治,口及大小便出者难治。
经曰∶得 则昌,绝 则亡。凡痘见危恶诸候,但脾胃强健而能饮食,从首至尾,皆可扶持
收功。极笃者,切勿弃舍,用意作外收,不过麻面而已。如不食在一、二日者,痘出自食。若在
五、六日不食,乃危候也。虽用补药,多不奏功。有因唇口痘胀,不能吮乳进食者,可用糯粉作
细圆,拌砂糖少许,逐粒喂之,兼以汤送。欲补者,和人参于内亦可。如能食太过,乃胃火盛,
药中加石膏之类,以清胃火。失治能为大害,愈后能食者宜矣。但勿过食。
险痘虽愈,身热不退,发毒之预征也。急宜服大连翘饮(作丸亦可。)如发出头顶上,或两
臂肘曲池穴,或两膝腕委中穴,俱无妨害。发于胸背者死。切勿嚼生豆之类 散,则攻于内矣!
惟宜前方,或真人活命饮治之。甚而肿软有脓,不得穿破者,以皂角刺针深入,血出见脓为止(以
绵纸捻纳孔内,留出纸捻头,分开贴拔毒膏,脓尽长肉。如臂直不能曲,日久自屈。)又气急痰
嗽,毒在肺;口臭泄泻,毒在脾胃;盗汗热渴,毒在心;睡中惊跳,热在肝;耳KT 尚热,毒在
肾,药中兼治之。又眼称身热,不乐,皆余毒。
Water blisters (Shuipao) are formed when pathogenic toxins are exuberant, causing the Fire Qi to fail to flare upwards and the Water Qi to fail to moisten downwards; the two contend and激荡 within the skin. Treatment should focus on regulating the Spleen and smoothing the Qi. However, since the pustules originate from the legs and feet, the toxin also transforms from there. When the pustules crust over and the blisters retract, if the color is red-purple, it indicates extreme heat.
Hemorrhage (Shixue) occurs when toxic fire forces blood to move recklessly. Bleeding from the nose is easy to treat, whereas bleeding from the mouth or the large and small intestines is difficult to treat.
The Classics state: "When Stomach Qi flourishes, life prospers; when Stomach Qi is cut off, life perishes." In all cases where severe and ominous signs appear in smallpox, as long as the Spleen and Stomach are strong and the patient can eat, support can be provided from beginning to end to achieve a successful outcome. For extremely critical cases, do not abandon them; with careful external care, at worst, only pockmarks will remain. If the patient does not eat for one or two days, they will naturally eat after the eruption. If they do not eat by the fifth or sixth day, it is a critical sign. Even with tonifying medicines, efficacy is often lacking. In cases where swelling of the lips and oral pustules prevents sucking milk or eating, fine pills made of glutinous rice flour mixed with a little sugar can be fed grain by grain, accompanied by broth. Ginseng may be added for tonification. If the patient eats excessively, it indicates exuberant Stomach Fire; minerals such as Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao, 石膏) should be added to the prescription to clear Stomach Fire. Failure to treat properly leads to severe harm. It is appropriate for the patient to eat normally after recovery, but overeating must be avoided.
Even if dangerous smallpox has healed, persistent body heat is a precursor to the toxin erupting again. Immediate administration of Dalianqiao Yin (Great Lonicola Decoction, which can also be made into pills) is indicated. Eruption on the vertex, or at Quchi (LI11, 曲池) in the elbow creases of both arms, or at Weizhong (BL40, 委中) behind the knees, causes no harm. Eruption on the chest and back is fatal. Do not chew raw beans or similar dispersants, as this will drive the toxin inward. Only the aforementioned formula or Zhenren Huoming Yin (True Person's Life-Saving Decoction) should be used. In severe cases where swelling is soft with pus but cannot penetrate, use Gleditsiae Spina (Zaocangci, 皂角刺) to puncture deeply until blood appears and pus is visible (insert a cotton-paper wick into the hole, leave the head exposed, apply separately a detoxifying plaster, until pus is exhausted and flesh grows. If the arm remains straight and cannot bend, it will naturally flex after a long time). Additionally, rapid breathing and phlegm-cough indicate toxin in the Lung; bad breath and diarrhea indicate toxin in the Spleen and Stomach; night sweats, fever, and thirst indicate toxin in the Heart; startle jumps during sleep indicate heat in the Liver; heat remaining in the ears indicates toxin in the Kidney; these should be treated concurrently in the medication. Furthermore, eye inflammation, body heat, and melancholy are all signs of residual toxin.